3 Organizing tips to
get you started:
You want to help your child
organize their room, but feel so overwhelmed you don’t know where to
start. I have been there many
times. Allow me to hand down a few
guidelines.
1. Keep it short
Avoid the mistake of trying to
fix it in one fell swoop. Children
(and parents) have short attention spans when organizing. Try breaking it down into small sections and
tackling one at a time. Clothes one
week, art/craft supplies next week, etc.
If you have a weekly cleaning schedule, add 15 minutes to the routine to
work on a different section each week.
Be sure to tell the children the time and specific goal so they know
there is an end in sight. Maintain areas
you have organized with a 5 minute daily pickup and weekly cleaning routines.
2. Plan a reward
Cleaning to upbeat music
played quietly in the background works wonders for us. Having something fun to look forward to when
finished is also important. Video game
time, playdate with a friend, or ice cream are all great rewards for hard work
at the end. I always try to remind them
of the coming reward as we work.
3.
Remember
your goals
What is YOUR
reason for getting organized? To make
cleaning easier? To find what you’re
looking for? If your child has allergies
to dust mites, then learning to keep the environment allergy-free is an
important habit to teach. Everyone’s
personal standards are different from everyone else’s. Don’t hold yourself (or your child) to your
neighbor or your best friend’s standards.
Also, keep in mind that your child’s standards are not yours. Help him (or her) find their own way of
organizing, especially as they get older.
What would you
add? I’d love to hear your organizing
tips!
No comments:
Post a Comment